Maverick ET-732 meat probe question...

[up smokin troy]

I just got some snack sticks started in the smoker, and i inserted the meat probe into one of the center sticks.  Now i got the meat probe in as far as i could, but there is still about 1-1/12 inches of the probe showing before the bend.  Is this inserted far enough to read accurate?  Also, the temp shot up to just over 100 pretty much as the smoker heated up, but had slowed down now, so it seems to be working.  For instance, its telling me im at 108 deg and time wise my sticks should be in for over another 4 hours.  Is this newbie running this correctly??   Thanks

 

[fire in the hole]

That sounds like to high of a temp for just putting the sticks in.

You should have the time........so why not do the temp check test by inserting the probe into boiling water and you should come up with 212 degrees. Then into ice water (shaved ice to get the utmost cold) and you should have 32 degrees. Then you know if your maverick is spot on.

 

[up smokin troy]

Do i have the probe inserted far enough into the stick, or how does that work?
 

 

[chef jimmyj]

The Probe is in far enough but may not be centered. Checking for accuracy is not a bad idea. Snack sticks are pretty thin so they will come up to temp quickly, but yours does seem to be going fast...JJ

 

[geerock]

The probe will read anywhere from an inch to two inches from the tip so no need to insert the whole rod. But it should be in the center of the meat. As JJ says, sticks are thin so its not easy to monitor temps when there is not a lot of square footage of meat to deal with.

 

[seenred]

I'm with these guys, check your probe's accuracy with the boil/ice test.  Really only the tip of the probe, about an inch or two, is all that's needed for a good reading.  It is sometimes a challenge to get the probe tip centered in small or thin meat items, so its always possible your probe is accurate but was giving you false high readings because it wasn't really centered.

Good luck, and be sure to let us know how it goes...

Red

edit:  oops, I see you beat me to it, geerock! 

 

[fwismoker]

One think to check your accuracy if you're questioning the temp is use an instant read thermometer such as thermopen...i use a different thermoworks thermometer but there are plenty of good ones. 

It's a tool all BBQers should have in their arsenal. 

 

[up smokin troy]

Thank you for all the replies and info.  Here's an update....over the past hour my IT went from 108 to 117 degrees.  Does 9 degrees over the past hour seem pretty reasonable?  They have been in for roughly 2 hours, and im thinking about another 3-4 or so till they should be done.  Does this sound at least close to accurate??  Currently my smoker is set at 150.

 

[s2k9k]

What kind of smoker are you using? Are you confident the smoker temp is correct? You could be smoking at a higher temp than you think. What is the diameter of the sticks?
9* over the past hour, if you keep that up you will be looking at another 3-4 hours to get to 152*.

 

[up smokin troy]

What kind of smoker are you using? Are you confident the smoker temp is correct? You could be smoking at a higher temp than you think. What is the diameter of the sticks?
9* over the past hour, if you keep that up you will be looking at another 3-4 hours to get to 152*.

I am using an MES 30.  I have used my Maverick in it one other time, but just used the BBQ temp probe and it seemed pretty accurate.  Im using 21mm collagen casings.  I was planning on smoking 4-5 hours, based on other times/temps i have read in the forums.

 

[up smokin troy]

Another update.....IT up 5 degree over the past hour.  (117-122)  Does this seem normal as far as increase of temp per time?
 

 

[s2k9k]

It seems normal to me. I don't want to use the word stall here but as the meat gets hotter and starts approaching the temp of your smoker it will seem to slow down, at least that has been my experience.
You might want to bump the temp of your smoker up to about 160*-170*, you want your sticks to get to about 152*-155* and with your smoker at 150* they might not ever make that. Don't go over 170* in your smoker though or you will start cooking them and could experience some "fat out"..

 

[up smokin troy]

It seems normal to me. I don't want to use the word stall here but as the meat gets hotter and starts approaching the temp of your smoker it will seem to slow down, at least that has been my experience.
You might want to bump the temp of your smoker up to about 160*-170*, you want your sticks to get to about 152*-155* and with your smoker at 150* they might not ever make that. Don't go over 170* in your smoker though or you will start cooking them and could experience some "fat out"..

What would be a normal smoke time for these at roughly 160-170 degrees?  I have roughly 1 hour remaining on a 5 hour timer and im only reaching IT of 126 degree.  It went up from 122 to 126 when i put the smoker to 165.  It seems to have "stalled" at this temp.  I know patience is a big key to smoking, but is there something else i should be doing, or just let it keep going?

 

[s2k9k]

Patience my friend! Ride it out! I think you are right on track!
I usually do 19mm casings and they go about 5 hours so your 21mm might take a little longer.
Hold it steady at 165* and you should see them speed up a bit but you are getting real close!

 

[s2k9k]

Oh BTW, we're going to need some pics of those sticks when they get done!

 

[up smokin troy]

I am going to work on pictures.  I will have to find the cable for my camera as i cant seem to find a memory card anywhere.  I am actually doing to batches today (i made up more than my smoker can handle).  I took the first batch out and am finishing them in the oven so i dont run out of time.  I now have the second batch in. I opted to hang the second round of sticks.  I'm starting my temp with this batch at 160 degrees and will run that for a few hours, and then bump up to 165-170 to finish them off.  I did sneak a taste of one of the ends before they went into the oven, and mmm...mmm..mmm are they good!!!

 

[dslunceford]

I'm having my probe read the internal grill/smoker temp vs the food temp. Need to test it off the grill, but you don't need to have the probe inserted all the way, correct? You could insert just 2-3" into your food, correct?